Pauline Hanson says foreigners who aren’t Australian citizens shouldn’t own Australian homes

Pauline Hanson has taken to social media to declare that home ownership should only be available to Australian citizens, stating “foreigners” should be barred from owning property.

“Foreigners who aren’t Australian citizens shouldn’t own Australian Homes,” the One Nation Leader wrote online in a post that quickly gained traction.

The statement, which came in classic Hanson style, split those online.

“Australian homes are for Australians only. No more foreigners, temporary residents, students, or overseas investors,” one person wrote.

“Australians shouldn’t be displaced living out of tents and their vehicles “illegal camping” when foreigners who aren’t Australian citizens are given hotels and housing,” another said under Senator Hanson’s post.

One man said that it was this kind of policy thinking that would finally allow him into the property market.

“I believe that one nation would be the only chance of my family ever owning a home,” he wrote. “We’re both (40-years-old) (we’re a) mum and dad of 2. Always worked our ass off and saved but also always been just outside the goal posts as they shifted.”

The One Nation leader’s announcement was made a day after Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said a Coalition government would restrict the 5 per cent deposit scheme for first-homebuyers to citizens.

Whether restricting “foreigners who aren’t Australian citizens” from purchasing homes would actually help didn’t appear to have consensus in Senator Hanson’ comments.

Foreign ownership in Australia is relatively low, with the vast majority of homes owned by Australian citizens.

Senator Hanson did not include details about the number of homes she projected her stance could free up for other Australians. Property sales data shows foreign owners or investors usually account for around 1 per cent annually.

“Australia’s housing crisis won’t be solved by banning foreign buyers (who own <1% of purchases),” one person argued.

“It’s about supply shortages and domestic investor incentives. Blaming non-citizens divides society without addressing root causes. Let’s focus on building more homes instead of division.”

Some added that Senator Hanson’s stance was actually something that would hurt Australian home owners, making a point on property value rather that being in the market at all.

“Australia needs to build more houses for people to be affordable,” they wrote.

“Own or not does little influence on the price itself. It is about relation between supply and demand. Otherwise set restrictions on visa, less people get in, and higher price in labour market.

One account, which clearly disagreed with Senator Hanson hit back with one sentence, calling the One Nation Leader a “flog”.

“Foreigners bring in the money Hanson you absolute flog”.

Those engaging with Senator Hanson’s social media had other opinions and suggestions, including only letting people buy a home if their parents were born in Australia, or making foreigners work minimum wage, manual labour or low skill jobs for five years to achieve citizenship.